Academic Writing for Geographers

There are many 'how-to' books on writing for academics; none of these, however, relate specifically to the discipline of geography. In this book, the author identifies the principle modes of academic writing that graduate students and early-career faculty will encounter specifically focusing on those forms expected of geographers, that is, those modes that are reviewed by academic peers.

This book is readily accessible to senior undergraduate and graduate students and early-career faculty who may feel intimidated by the process of writing. This volume is not strictly a 'how-to' or 'step-by-step' manual for writing an article or book; rather, through the use of real, concrete examples from published and unpublished works, the author de-mystifies the process of different types of scholarly pieces geographers have to write with the specific needs and challenges of the discipline in mind.

Although chapters are thematic-based, e.g., stand-alone chapters on book reviews, articles, and books, the manuscript is structured around the concept of story-telling, for it is the author's contention that all writing, whether a 'scientific' study or more humanist essay, is a form of story-telling.

Auteur

James A. Tyner is a professor of geography at Kent State University and fellow of the American Association of Geographers. In 2021 he received the AAG's Distinguished Scholarship Award and in 2014 he received Kent State University's Outstanding Research and Scholarship Award. To date, he has published widely within the field of geography. He has authored 21 books and co-authored a 22nd monograph; co-edited two books; written approximately 100 refereed articles and book chapters; and dozens of book reviews and encyclopedia entries. His book War, Violence, and Population: Making the Body Count (New York: The Guilford Press, 2009) received the Meridian Award, the American Association Geographers' highest book award for outstanding scholarly contribution to the field of Geography. He has twice received the Julian Minghi Award, conferred by the Political Geography Specialty Group of the AAG, for outstanding scholarly contribution to the study of political geography: the first for his book Iraq, Terror, and the Philippines' Will to War (Boulder, CO: Rowman & Littlefield, 2005) and the second for his book The Politics of Lists: Bureaucracy and Genocide under the Khmer Rouge (Morgantown, WV: West Virginia University Press, 2019). In addition, he received the Virginie Mamadouh Outstanding Research Award for best journal article (2017).

Texte du rabat

There are many how-tö books on writing for academics; none of these, however, relate specifically to the discipline of geography. In this book, the author identifies the principle modes of academic writing that graduate students and early-career faculty will encounter specifically focusing on those forms expected of geographers, that is, those modes that are reviewed by academic peers. This book is readily accessible to senior undergraduate and graduate students and early-career faculty who may feel intimidated by the process of writing. This volume is not strictly a how-tö or step-by-step manual for writing an article or book; rather, through the use of real, concrete examples from published and unpublished works, the author de-mystifies the process of different types of scholarly pieces geographers have to write with the specific needs and challenges of the discipline in mind. Although chapters are thematic-based, e.g., stand-alone chapters on book reviews, articles, and books, the manuscript is structured around the concept of story-telling, for it is the author s contention that all writing, whether a scientific study or more humanist essay, is a form of story-telling.

Résumé

"Jim Tyner, one of the most prolific writers in contemporary geography, offers with this monograph a practical journey and a personal odyssey that takes the reader through his thought processes on writing for the academy. It is a poignant guide for graduate students and early career faculty on how to make choices in writing and some of the pitfalls that may be encountered along the way. For the most part, writing is about telling stories and this includes consideration of character development, setting descriptions, plots and narrative arcs. Tyner deftly re-articulates these basics of storytelling for academic geographers as key (and minor) concepts, geographical contexts, arguments and theses respectively. It is a lovely way to understand our craft and throughout the monograph Tyner provides illustrative examples from the geographic literature to reinforce his arguments. Few books of which I am aware, and certainly none in geography, focus on the craft of writing from this perspective. It will be strongly recommended reading for all my future graduate students."

Dr. Stuart C. Aitken, San Diego State University